4 ms·

The saddest event this generation is Epic vs Apple going in favor of Apple. It's tough to imagine Apple weren't a monolopy enforcing monopolistic policies.

cwp 3y ago
I wanted Epic to win too, but c'mon, 57% market share is not a monopoly.
- thfuran 3y ago
  In the UK, that's over twice the minimum threshold for monopoly power.
  - pb7 3y ago
    "Monopoly power" is not a monopoly and in the UK, public schools are actually private schools, so maybe we shouldn't compare terminology across countries.
    - laxd 3y ago
      "...maybe we shouldn't compare terminology across countries." That sounds like cromulent use of HN.
    - zarzavat 3y ago
      That’s because competition/antitrust law, be it UK, EU or US, doesn’t care about whether an entity is a “monopoly” or not. It cares about whether a company is engaging in anticompetitive practices or not. The market share is a red herring.
    - stale2002 3y ago
      > "Monopoly power" is not a monopoly Fortunately, "monopoly" isn't the thing that the law cares about. Everything to do with anti-trust law, and competition laws, is not about monopolies, and is instead about monopoly power. > so maybe we shouldn't compare terminology across countries Feel free to look at the the FTC says about this topic then. It to applies to companies with monopoly power, and not literal monopolies. https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/single-firm-conduct/monopolization-defined https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/gui... "Courts do not require a literal monopoly before applying rules for single firm conduct; that term is used as shorthand for a firm with significant and durable market power"
simondotau 3y ago
Whether or not you believe Apple is a monopoly, whether or not Apple is benefiting from their current status as one of two dominant smartphone ecosystems, it is obviously false to describe Apple's restrictions around app sales and payment methods as being "monopolistic policies". The policies Apple has been criticised for were not gained as a result of monopoly power. This is obviously true because the policies in question were substantially in place by 2009, long before anyone could have said "monopoly" in Apple's direction without being drowned in laughter.
- okamiueru 3y ago
  [flagged]
AndriyKunitsyn 3y ago
Eeeh, if only Epic hasn't signed an agreement (as any iOS developer did) where they explicitly agreed with this policy, then it would be so simple.

cwp 3y ago

I wanted Epic to win too, but c'mon, 57% market share is not a monopoly.

thfuran 3y ago
In the UK, that's over twice the minimum threshold for monopoly power.
- pb7 3y ago
  "Monopoly power" is not a monopoly and in the UK, public schools are actually private schools, so maybe we shouldn't compare terminology across countries.
  - laxd 3y ago
    "...maybe we shouldn't compare terminology across countries." That sounds like cromulent use of HN.
  - zarzavat 3y ago
    That’s because competition/antitrust law, be it UK, EU or US, doesn’t care about whether an entity is a “monopoly” or not. It cares about whether a company is engaging in anticompetitive practices or not. The market share is a red herring.
  - stale2002 3y ago
    > "Monopoly power" is not a monopoly Fortunately, "monopoly" isn't the thing that the law cares about. Everything to do with anti-trust law, and competition laws, is not about monopolies, and is instead about monopoly power. > so maybe we shouldn't compare terminology across countries Feel free to look at the the FTC says about this topic then. It to applies to companies with monopoly power, and not literal monopolies. https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/single-firm-conduct/monopolization-defined https://www.ftc.gov/advice-guidance/competition-guidance/gui... "Courts do not require a literal monopoly before applying rules for single firm conduct; that term is used as shorthand for a firm with significant and durable market power"

simondotau 3y ago

Whether or not you believe Apple is a monopoly, whether or not Apple is benefiting from their current status as one of two dominant smartphone ecosystems, it is obviously false to describe Apple's restrictions around app sales and payment methods as being "monopolistic policies". The policies Apple has been criticised for were not gained as a result of monopoly power. This is obviously true because the policies in question were substantially in place by 2009, long before anyone could have said "monopoly" in Apple's direction without being drowned in laughter.

okamiueru 3y ago
[flagged]

AndriyKunitsyn 3y ago

Eeeh, if only Epic hasn't signed an agreement (as any iOS developer did) where they explicitly agreed with this policy, then it would be so simple.